Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Despite what some texts might say, vultures are not raptors, which is a term referring to the weapons or talons on their feet. Black Vultures, as with all of their kin, are more closely related to storks. However, these birds are birds of prey and will eat live food if they can find it, especially young and newborn animals such as newly hatched sea turtles. Their primary food source though, is carrion. Lacking the sense of smell of their cousins, the Turkey Vulture, Black Vultures will often follow their relatives whose sense of smell is more developed for locating decaying flesh.
These birds are uncommon in western North America except southeastern Arizona. In the southeast USA, they are year-round residents from Texas to the mid-Atlantic states. These birds range south through Central and most of South America.
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
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Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 17:20 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/6400 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D501243-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
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Description: These birds flew over while I was looking for birds along Duck Pond Road in Del Rio. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:09 10:46 |
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Location:
Duck Pond Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D508223-DelRioTexas |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: These birds flew over while I was looking for birds along Duck Pond Road in Del Rio. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:09 10:46 |
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Location:
Duck Pond Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D508233-DelRioTexas |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
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Description: This very cooperative bird was the first Black Vulture I'd met in Arizona. I found them quite common in South Texas. I drove for three plus hours to spend two lovely hours with these birds at the Cienega in Arivaca before turning onto my final leg of my homeward journey from my 2020 Texas adventure. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:27 7:46 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X5803-Arivaca |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: This very cooperative bird was the first Black Vulture I'd met in Arizona. I found them quite common in South Texas. I drove for three plus hours to spend two lovely hours with these birds at the Cienega in Arivaca before turning onto my final leg of my homeward journey from my 2020 Texas adventure. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:27 7:46 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X5806-Arivaca |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: This very cooperative bird was the first Black Vulture I'd met in Arizona. I found them quite common in South Texas. I drove for three plus hours to spend two lovely hours with these birds at the Cienega in Arivaca before turning onto my final leg of my homeward journey from my 2020 Texas adventure. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:27 7:50 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X5882-Arivaca |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: This very cooperative bird was the first Black Vulture I'd met in Arizona. I found them quite common in South Texas. I drove for three plus hours to spend two lovely hours with these birds at the Cienega in Arivaca before turning onto my final leg of my homeward journey from my 2020 Texas adventure. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:27 7:55 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X5964-Arivaca |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: I usually see these birds as I look up. I enjoyed the eye-level encounter at the treetops. Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 9:56 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X7361-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
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Description: This vulture perched on a telescope at the top of the tower and let me approach quite close. Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 10:01 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X7447-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: I usually see these birds as I look up. I enjoyed the eye-level encounter at the treetops. Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 10:02 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X7482-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 10:02 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X7452-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 10:12 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X7746-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: I usually see these birds as I look up. I enjoyed the eye-level encounter at the treetops. Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 10:12 |
|
Location:
Aransas NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X7761-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
|
Description: Two’s company, three’s a crowd. This is simply a gang. Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 10:19 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X7824-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
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Description: These Black Vultures enjoyed roosting with the Turkey Vultures cousins in the tall trees here. I camped on High Island (Texas) a half mile from the Smith Oaks Sanctuary, where among its 177 acres is a large pond hosting a rookery for egrets, spoonbills and cormorants. I spent my Saturday morning there and returned for another visit in the afternoon. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:06 10:19 |
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Location:
Smith Oaks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D5X9399-HighIsland_SmithOaks |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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